MUSCLE MEMORY…a Dance Art Happening

Put Marty Mercado and Derek Gores together and you know something unique will blossom. The latest bloom in their creative garden is “Muscle Memory: Dance/Art/Flow,” a good old fashioned happening running from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday at the Derek Gores Gallery in the Eau Gallie Arts District.

The event brings together dancers, both professional and amateur, and artists of multiple disciplines into an experience that includes vintage clothing, water, flowers, fire, body painting, light, video, art and…yes…music.

Those who like art decidedly out of the box will recall that Ms. Mercado once ran the provocative Precision Dance Company which created some edgy goodies, especially for the Robot Love happenings. She had to put that aside, however, while taking care of her ailing grandmother. And, of course, Mr. Gores also loves mind-expanding art experiences, revealed in his Dr. Sketchy evenings and having a home performance base for the popular but quirky Not Quite Right Players improv group.

Muscle Memory, photo by Marty Mercado

Muscle Memory will be held both inside the Gores Gallery and outside on the sidewalk. Participants include Sole 180 hip hop dance company, Ian Stover fire dancer, Sarah Balda’s Dance Arts Centre dancers who will perform water dancing. Frankie Freeman, a former Precision Dance member and dancer on last season’s “So You Think You Can Dance” will perform (check out her video below). Also performing will be Patrick Gerstle of the NYC Bad Boys of Dance and Jessie Schneider from Marymount Manhattan College. All of these dancers trained here in Brevard County.

Costume designs are by Carly Lynn Sinigoi of Electric Oranges, which will showcase a pop-up display of vintage clothing. Mikael Maynard will dance to work by visual artist Arianna Gangi; Julia Pontones will dance to a flower environment created by floral artist Ann Petrosky; Jaylyn Marie will perform to work by visual artist Dave Thomas; dancer Electrika Bleu will work with Mr. Gores; and Sole 180 will hip hop to Christopher Maslow’s art.

More is expected, so stay tuned.

“It’s kind of like a rebirth for me back into the community,” said Ms. Mercado. “The show is dedicated to my grandmother who I lost to Alzheimers in August. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Brevard Alzheimers Foundation.”

The free-flowing structure, if you will, features a dance performance every 15 minutes. Only 50 people are allowed in the Derek Gores Gallery at a time, so there will be a natural rotation. In other words, you might have to wait at the door before you can go in. However, there will be that sidewalk dance experience.

Admission is $10 for pre-sale tickets and $15 at the door. Tickets are available now at EventBrite. Derek Gores Gallery is at 587 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne, FL. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Here’s that Frankie Freeman video (she’s the Africa American young woman with blonde hair):

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Brevard Culture is the place to find the latest news and reviews of the arts in and around Brevard County, Orlando and Vero Beach Florida. We also highlight cultural news of interest outside the area. Brevard Culture editor, Pam Harbaugh, is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and served as arts writer/theater critic for more than 25 years at Florida Today newspaper.